


For Forever

by TRIBULATlON



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bokuaka - Freeform, Bombings, Character Death, Genderbent Characters, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Reincarnation, Soulmates, Volleyball, War, akaashi only dies twice, bokuto dies like 5 times, the ending is happy i swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:41:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28371042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TRIBULATlON/pseuds/TRIBULATlON
Summary: Reincarnation is supposed to let you be with your lover forever. So why does he keep slipping away?
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> bokuto narration

_The first time I met you was during a war_

Children weren’t meant to be alone. But Bokuto was. At ten years old, he was spared from witnessing the deaths of his family, but he still had to stumble upon the wreck of his home. Luckily, (if you could even _call_ it lucky), the mess was too large for him to see the gruesome fate that laid underneath. 

Now, he was left alone to wander and survive. He could do that. He ransacked homes and stores for what he could find, stuffing a backpack full with supplies before he set out on his trek to...who knows where. 

Everywhere he went, it was a mess. Rubble from buildings all over the place, bodies strewn about, craters left in the ground from bombs previously dropped. It was all too much for a child, but Bokuto marched on through it, determined to get out. 

  
_I found you crying beside your mom’s dead body_

He started to carefully move down a hill of rocks, stopping in his tracks and almost falling when he saw the other boy at the bottom of the boulders. The boy was kneeling next to a woman’s body, crying softly. 

Bokuto could feel two pulls on his heart, one from sadness for the boy and the other, he didn’t know. 

_I know I can’t leave you alone_

”Hey,” he called out softly. The boy looked up and stared at him, tears welled up in his eyes. Bokuto carefully made the rest of the way down the rocks, reaching down and grabbing the other’s hands. “Come on. We can’t stay here.”

”But-“ The boy whimpered softly, glancing back down at his mother’s body. “I can’t leave her...”

_I’ll take you everywhere, so I can protect you_

  
“You have to. She can’t come. I had to leave my mom too.” Bokuto stared down at the woman’s body, frowning a bit. 

“W-who are you?” 

Bokuto was silent for a moment before he looked back at the other. “Bokuto. Kōtarō Bokuto.”

”I’m Keiji Akaashi,” he whispers softly, wiping the tears from his eyes and staring down at his mother’s body before looking away quickly. “Okay. We can go.” 

Bokuto squeezed his hand before pulling him away from the mess in the crater they were in. He really had no idea where to go; there was nothing left to go to. Everyone they went, it was a wasteland.

They wandered like that for a while, hands clasped together. Planes occasionally flew above and Bokuto’s mind wandered to the sounds of bombs crashing to the earth and exploding. Surely they wouldn’t drop any more bombs if they saw people. 

_But our days were cut short_

How wrong he was. 

The plane sped by so quickly they didn’t notice the bombs falling until it was too late. Both of them began sprinting, trying to run away from their fate, but they knew what would happen. 

  
_I will protect you no matter what_

Bokuto shoved Akaashi in front of him at the last second, letting himself fall on top of the boy as he took most of the blast and the sharp pain of shrapnel piercing his back spread through his body. 

  
A second bomb landed, closer this time, and their cries were silenced by the deafening explosion. 

  
_I’m sorry I failed_

Shrapnel hit born of them this time, and a warmth spread underneath them that Bokuto knew could only be blood. He moved off Akaashi, grabbing his hands and squeezing them. No more bombs came but there was no way they would be able to get out of this mess. 

  
_I can only hold your hand as it turns cold_

* * *

  
Bokuto curled up on himself, staring up at the dark blue sky as he shivered. He was trapped here in the rain. He’d freeze if he stayed here but he couldn’t get out. 

  
_I turned out to be a cat in my next life  
I was abandoned in a box _

Try after try he attempted to get out of the box, claws scraping at the sides as he fell down every time. Kōtarō knew he couldn’t stay here. He _needed_ to find Akaashi. He _had_ to. 

_This time, you were the one that found me_

The sound of footsteps soon came into earshot and he cowered down into the box, hoping that whoever it was wouldn’t find him. If a stranger took him home he would never be able to find Akaashi. 

  
_You called my name when our eyes met  
I’m glad you still remember me_

Bokuto looked up once the stranger hovered over the box, about to shrink away before he realized who it was. The face above him was the same one he remembered, just older.

”Bokuto!”

Warm hands reached into the box, picking up the wet kitten inside. Akaashi cradled the cat in his arms, running back home to dry him off. 

Bokuto enjoyed his time spent with Akaashi. Even if the two couldn’t talk to each other, they were still close. Perhaps next time they could be together like that, as humans of course. 

  
_But I had to leave you first this time_

Alas, being a cat still didn’t end happily. Animals had much shorter lifespans, after all. All Bokuto could do was curl up with Akaashi, laying there quietly until he finally drifted off. 

* * *

  
_One time we grew up not knowing each other  
You became a good man, always fighting for justice _

_And then you found me, standing on the other side_

Bokuto was silent as he stared at Akaashi, barely registering the gun that was pointed in is direction. Why had it come to this? He didn’t even remember why he had become a criminal. Why he had joined this gang, why- 

_I’m sorry I became a bad person  
At least let me protect you this time _

One of the men standing next to him raised his gun to shoot at Akaashi and the other police officers. Immediately Bokuto jumped in between, staring at his fellow gang member before his torso was pumped full of bullets. 

Bokuto stumbled back, clutching his abdomen. Even now, his eyes were on Akaashi and he had a smile on his face. 

  
_I’ll take this as my punishment_

“Bokuto!” Akaashi ignored the criminals now escaping, dropping down to his knees next to his soulmate as he tried putting pressure on his wounds. “No, no, Bokuto-“ he choked out, knowing it was hopeless and that the other would bleed out here. Sobs escaped from his lips as he bent his head down. 

_The last thing I heard was your voice_

* * *

_We were both reborn as women the next time  
We were lucky enough to spend our lives together _

  
Bokuto laughed happily, grabbing Akaashi’s hand as they walked down the street. It was odd being a female—sometimes he forgot he had a different given name and often didn’t reply to other people. But it was worth it, for Akaashi. 

“I was thinking we could move to Paris soon.”

Akaashi laughed, shaking his head. “And why would we do that?” 

“Well, it’s the city of love! And we’re madly in love, right?” Bokuto pouted. 

“You’re an idiot,” Akaashi sighed, reaching up to tug on Bokuto’s ponytail. “We’re not moving anywhere that far away.”

”Ow! Meanie,” he huffed, rubbing the back of his head. “I’ll make you move to-“

A yelp escaped from his lips as he was grabbed by someone and dragged into an alley, watching another person grab Akaashi the same way. 

  
_But we forgot how cruel the world is_

Bokuto was strong; he knew that. But somehow he couldn’t escape the man holding him back, only able to wriggle and move around in the man’s arms. “Let us go!” 

A third guy came up in front of them, laughing. “I can’t do that. You two are very beautiful. You’d fetch us a good price.”

”You can’t _sell_ us!” Bokuto yelled, “We’re people!” 

“If you don’t shut up we won’t sell you and just kill you right now. At least the other way you’d be alive.”

“No! Let us go, now!” Bokuto went silent as soon as the man pointed his knife at Akaashi, pursing his lips. He stayed still for a bit before lunging forward, managing to escape the guy holding him. He grabbed onto the guy with the knife, starting to shove him down to the ground. 

Akaashi’s scream pierced through the air, registering in Bokuto’s ears before the pain in his stomach did. He looked down, watching the knife be pulled out before he was stabbed a second time. 

He fell down to the floor, staring up at the sky as he struggled to catch his breath. Akaashi was still screaming, trying to fight back and escape. Bokuto closed his eyes, knowing he couldn’t do anything. He had failed. Again. Why couldn’t he protect Akaashi?

  
_I’m really sorry  
I still can’t protect you properly _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> akaashi narration

_The next time I met you was in the hospital_   
_I was playing with my nephew  
His ball had rolled over to your feet  
I was quite shocked to see you without your hair_

Akaashi stared silently at Bokuto, clutching the rubber ball to his chest. “Your hair,” he said softly, blinking a little. 

  
Bokuto tugged down the hat that was on his head, frowning. “I know I’m ugly, Akaashi.” 

Keiji then blinked, shaking his head and giving the ball to his nephew before sitting next to Bokuto. “No you’re not. You’re still as handsome as ever, Kōtarō.”

“Really?”

”Yes.” Akaashi leaned into him, smiling a little. “I’m glad I found you now. I was afraid I wouldn’t.”

”We’re always going to find each other. It’s how soulmates work, dummy.” Bokuto paused, looking over at him. “Why are you here? You look fine.” 

Akaashi laughed. “My brother is here for surgery. I’m watching his kid.” He gestured towards his nephew playing in the courtyard. 

“I think you can tell why I’m here.” 

“...yeah.”

  
_I made sure to visit you every day  
Every time I visited, you were paler than before  
You weren’t getting any better _

Akaashi popped out his earbuds as he approached Bokuto’s room, finding it odd the door was open. He looked inside to find it empty, frowning as he turned around and found a nurse standing nearby. 

Her words shattered his heart.

* * *

  
_I can’t take it anymore  
It’s hurting me so much  
Every time you leave first it feels like a part of my soul was being taken away   
As if my heart was being ripped apart   
I don’t want to feel like this again   
If the only way to get rid of this feeling is to forget you, then please, erase these memories of mine _

* * *

  
Akaashi let out a huff as he wiped his brow, listening to the buzz of the scoreboard and the cheers of his teammates and the crowd. He smiled faintly to himself, retreating to get water.

He watched Bokuto quietly from where he was sitting on the bench. They didn’t talk much; they weren’t friends, just teammates. Still, Akaashi felt like he knew everything about the ace of their team. He had the urge to protect him, 

So why was it that Bokuto was the one shielding him? Volleyball wasn’t supposed to get violent, but apparently the other team had a different idea of what the sport was about. They were threatening them, all looking like they were about to throw a punch. 

Keiji jumped forward this time, in front of Bokuto. There was no time to deflect the blow or move so it hit him somewhere else. The fist connected with his skull and he felt himself fall to the ground, felt his head connect with the concrete underneath him, felt everything slip away as he blacked out.

  
_I’m sorry, Kōtarō  
Let’s meet again in our next life _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in another life 😁


	3. Chapter 3

“Kashi. Akaashi!”  
  
Akaashi bolted up, panting heavily as he felt the wet stains on his face. He quickly wiped them away, staring at Bokuto.  
  
”Are you okay? You were crying.”   
  
“I...I was having a dream.” Akaashi paused, lowering his head to stare at the ground. “About one of our past lives. When we were volleyball players. I couldn’t do anything but...die. I can never protect you.”   
  
“Keiji.” Bokuto grabbed Akaashi’s face, cupping his cheeks with a small smile on his face. “You don’t need to protect me. I do everything for you. I never regretted leaving you first because I knew you got to live longer. Do you regret leaving me?”  
  
”No, of course not. But I was so afraid I would never see you again, Kōtarō. I’m glad the cycle is over. That we can be here together in this world.”  
  
Akaashi leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Bokuto’s and smiling softly.   
  
“I’m never letting go of you again.”


End file.
